1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to acicular para-aramide particles. More particularly, the invention concerns a process for flash spinning such particles from a mixture of poly(paraphenylene terephthalamide), carbon dioxide and water. The particles are useful for various reinforcement applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Para-aramids are well known for their properties of good thermal stability, high strength-to-weight ratio, and ability in the form of fibers to reinforce plastics and other materials. A particularly useful para-aramid is poly(paraphenylene terephthalamide) (PPD-T), available from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in the form of continuous filament yarns, staple and pulp.
Short, discontinuous fibers are preferred for many reinforcing applications. The commercially available pulps are useful, but they tend to be expensive to produce since the process for their manufacture begins with spinning a costly continuous filament yarn, continues with a cutting operation, and concludes with a wet refining step to convert the cut filaments into pulp. These pulp fibers have diameters generally between 1 and 12 micrometers, lengths of 1,000-5,000 micrometers, and a length-to-width ratio of 125-5,000. Shorter particles are more desirable for many filling and reinforcing applications.
Flash spinning of various polymers is described in Blades et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,519. Blades spins film-fibril strands, called plexifilaments, from a liquid-liquid dispersion. The patent indicates that crystalline polymers may be used, and describes many types of organic solvents and even mentions water. Neither the spinning of para-aramid polymers nor the combination of carbon dioxide/water as a solvent medium is mentioned. Further, the Blades products are generally continuous filaments and not discrete particles.